AN ACT CONCERNING A DIAPER PARTNERSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.

House of Representatives
HB5486 / File No. 430 1

General Assembly File No. 430
February Session, 2026 House Bill No. 5486

House of Representatives, April 7, 2026

The Committee on Human Services reported through REP.
GILCHREST of the 18th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on
the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING A DIAPER PARTNERSHIP GRANT
PROGRAM.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective July 1, 2026) (a) As used in this section, (1) "eligible 1
children" means children three years of age or younger from households 2
with family income not exceeding two hundred per cent of the federal 3
poverty level, and (2) "diaper partnership" means a partnership between 4
an organization representing hospitals in the state and a nonprofit 5
organization that distributes diapers to needy families statewide. The 6
Commissioner of Social Services shall establish a grant program for the 7
fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, to fund the provision of diapers at no 8
cost by a diaper partnership to eligible children. 9
(b) The commissioner shall prescribe reporting requirements for any 10
diaper partnership that receives funds under the grant program. Not 11
later than September 1, 2027, the Commissioner of Social Services shall 12
submit a report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the 13
general statutes, to the joint standing committees of the General 14
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HB5486 / File No. 430 2

Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to appropriations and 15
the budgets of state agencies and human services on: (1) The number of 16
diapers distributed through the grant program, (2) an estimate of the 17
number of families in need of diapers who did not obtain diapers 18
through the grant program, (3) a list of health conditions ameliorated by 19
the provision of diapers through the grant program and state health care 20
costs averted, and (4) recommendations concerning future state 21
appropriations that may be necessary to support the grant program. 22
Sec. 2. ( Effective July 1, 2026 ) The sum of one million dollars is 23
appropriated to the Department of Social Services from the General 24
Fund, for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2027, for the grant program 25
established pursuant to section 1 of this act to provide diapers at no cost 26
to children three years of age or younger from families with household 27
income not exceeding two hundred per cent of the federal poverty level. 28
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 July 1, 2026 New section
Sec. 2 July 1, 2026 New section

HS Joint Favorable

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HB5486 / File No. 430 3

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact:
Agency Affected Fund-Effect FY 27 $ FY 28 $
Social Services, Dept. GF - Cost 1,087,000 None
State Comptroller - Fringe
Benefits1
GF - Cost 36,000 None
Note: GF=General Fund

Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill results in a cost of approximately $1.1 million to the
Department of Social Services (DSS) in F Y 27 to establish a diaper
partnership grant program and report on the program by September 1,
2027.
The bill appropriates $1 million in FY 27 to DSS to provide diapers to
partnership organizations for distribution to families with children
three years of age or younger with household income not exceeding
200% of the federal poverty level . DSS will need one durational Public
Assistance Consultant (salary of approximately $87,000 with associated
fringe benefits of approximately $36,000) for FY 27 to oversee the grant
program and fulfill the reporting requirements.
Spending Cap
sHB 5032, the FY 27 Revised Budget as favorably reported by the

1The fringe benefit costs for most state employees are budgeted centrally in accounts
administered by the Comptroller. The estimated active employee fringe benefit cost
associated with most personnel changes is 41.82% of payroll in FY 27.
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Appropriations Committee, is under the spending cap by $16.1 million
in FY 27. The appropriation contained in section 2 of the bill would
result in the budget being under the spending cap by $15.1 million in FY
27.
The Out Years
The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would
continue into the future subject to future appropriations for the grant
program.

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OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5486

AN ACT CONCERNING A DIAPER PARTNERSHIP GRANT
PROGRAM.

SUMMARY
The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Human Services Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 16 Nay 7 (03/19/2026)